The Little Moments
by Talesoftwofairies
Summary: A collection of snapshots showing the progression of Natsu and Lucy's relationship. High School/College AU
1. Chapter 1

**Part 1**

Bright white clouds clung together over head draping the south side of Magnolia in a cool blanket of clouds. The temperature hung around a low 40 degrees Fahrenheit which Lucy was not at all happy about.

Bundling up in a fluffy white peacoat with matching pink hat and mittens was doing little to combat the bitter cold. It also didn't help that their bus was ten minutes late and that her and Natsu were surrounded by five other of their close friends. Normally being with her friends wouldn't be an issue, she loved her friends after all, but right now she wanted nothing more than to wrap her arms around her boyfriend and bury her face in his warm chest.

But because their friends didn't know they were dating she could only stare as her attractive pink haired boyfriend laughed, his breath visible is the cool air. She rubbed her arms impatiently as they all laughed at whatever Levy had just said. Their talking died out as another five minutes passed and still no bus had come to take them home.

Lucy huffed out an impatient breath and dropped her hands since rubbing her arms was making no difference. Natsu was standing right next to her while Gray was slumped in the bus stop seating a few feet away gazing out bored onto the street next to Erza who was tying mercilessly at her phone. Gajeel had Levy leaning against his chest with his jacket wrapped around her to keep her warm, his head laying on top of hers while she read something on her phone.

Lucy couldn't help but feel a stab of jealously at her friend's open relationship even though it was her idea to keep her and Natsu's a secret. It was just that their friends had predicted and teased her for years about how they would eventually get together and how Lucy was so blind to Natsu's obvious attraction to her (which is another story entirely) that she really didn't want to deal with their reactions if they knew they had been correct.

But seeing Levy and Gajeel being all cuddly with each other she couldn't deny she wanted that too. So lost in her thoughts she jumped when she felt someone slip their hand into hers. She looked up at Natsu's contented face while he didn't even spare her a glance, only continued to look out at the street in front of them watching the snow fall lazily.

"Natsu?" She whispered, though she wasn't exactly sure why.

He flashed her smile and squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Don't worry," he whispered back to her, "I'll let go if they look over."

His smile gave nothing away but Lucy could hear sadness behind his voice, after all it wasn't his idea to keep their relationship a secret. If it were up to him he would have shouted on a rooftop for all to hear that Lucy was his girlfriend and she would have been wrapped in his arms all afternoon at the bus stop much the same way Levy was in Gajeel's, warm and content.

But he was respecting her wishes, even though he didn't understand the reasons why. He was disappointed and now that Lucy thought about it, was probably really hurt by her actions. When she had first told him she wanted to keep their dating a secret she saw the hurt in his eyes. But she was so scared and embarrassed she just ignored it.

Lucy frowned as she remembered more times where his smile would fall when their friends would approach them at school and would have to dejectedly let go of her hand or waist. Or how when one time during their three month secret relationship, Cana had tried to set her up with someone over lunch and Natsu had watched her, waiting for her to come clean about them. When she didn't he stormed out and she didn't see him till the next day after she had begged for forgiveness.

Wow, she was stupid, she thought as she gazed up at Natsu's face. She really didn't deserve someone so sweet and loyal and yet here he was standing beside her and she was a fool for wasting any second she had with him.

The roar of the bus and the cheers and the "finally"'s cut off her thoughts. The others raised from their respected places as the bus pulled into the stop.

Natsu made a move to let go of her hand and pull away, but Lucy held his hand firm.

"Lucy?" he whispered, confused.

In answer, she dragged him onto the stuffy bus and plopped them down into two seats before wrapping her arms around his and leaning into him, resting her head on his shoulder.

He blinked down confusingly at her as the others eyed the couple both with the same confusion as Natsu but also, or for the case of Erza and Levy a not so small, small smirks playing on their lips.

She felt the moment when the tension left his muscles and he relaxed into his seat humming contently at this new development and rested his head on top of hers.

The bus jolted to life to carry them home where Lucy would make sure Natsu knew just how much she loved him.

* * *

-Lucy didn't know how this war started she only knew that Natsu would be defeated, God help her. She was currently stationed behind the couch, pillow in hand, waiting for Natsu to creep around the corner.

She had made the mistake earlier of whacking him the face with said pillow before laughing her heart out at his disgruntled look before his face melted into a look of pure evil. Next thing she knew most of her very large assortment of pillows were laying haphazardly around her overturned house and random feathers were floating around in the air as testimony to what had become known in her mind as The Great Pillow War.

Suddenly her floor board creaked and Lucy took her chance. She jumped out from behind the couch, smirking, and whacked him straight in his bewildered face. He fell on his butt with a loud thump, siting there stunned for a moment before growling playfully and launching himself at her.

She scrambled to get away but her fuzzy green socks slipped on her dads hardwood floors allowing him time to wind his arm around her waist and pulling her down to ground with him.

She laughed, tears leaking out of her eyes, as he tickled her relentlessly.

"Na-Natsu! Stop!"

He paused, acting as if he was deep in thought while he straddled her.

"Hmmm….. I think not!" and with that continued his attack.

Sometime later, after Lucy was able to retaliate, they were both laying side by side on the floor surrounded by pillows and feathers.

Lucy's eyes were drooping after using so much energy during the battle. She jolted as she felt herself start to slip into the throngs of sleep.

"Natsu, we need to get up my dad will be home in-" she lifted her head to look at the clock on her T.V. "- two hours."

He grumbled before lifting his arm and wrapping it around her bringing her closer to his relaxing warmth.

"Five minutes." he mumbled.

Lucy was too tired to even feel embarrassed and instead let herself be lulled to sleep by Natsu's soft breathing.

* * *

-The first time Natsu realized Lucy was hot, he was totally caught off guard. He had always known that his best friend was pretty, beautiful really, but hot was never in his vocabulary when it came to Lucy's appearance.

But now standing on her porch at night with the moon's glow reflecting off her hair and skin making her shine like a goddess, dressed in the shortest crop top he had ever seen with knee high black leather boots, he had to whip his head away from her before his thoughts fell into the gutter. He was also pretty sure he was blushing tomato red and the last thing he needed was her to notice and be awkward all night at the concert.

This was Lucy for heavens sake, his best friend of five years, he shouldn't be thinking about her flawless skin or taut stomach or-

"Natsu are you coming or are you going to keep staring at the ground like an idiot? I don't want to miss the opening set!"

Natsu blinked stupidly and silently wondered why Gray wasn't here to punch him out of these thoughts now of all times.

He wandered over to where she stood by the car, stifling a groan when she leaned over to adjust her jeans and boots, giving his eyes the perfect view of her chest.

Yeah, it was going to be a long night.


	2. Chapter 2

Part 2

-Lucy held her tears in her eyes until the moment she slammed her bedroom door shut.

She jumped on her bed and dug her face in her pillow and screamed. Her screaming eventually morphed into a garbled mess of sobbing as she clutched her pillow close to her chest. After awhile her tears eventually stopped and she caught herself staring numbly at her blank white wall.

Without thinking, her hand shot out and grabbed her phone sending him a text before her brain could register that it was 1:37 in the morning.

Her phone buzzed several minutes later with a question that she hastily answered. Waiting five minutes first, She jumped off her bed, grabbing her peacoat and slipping on her boots. She opened the window with a creak and shivered at the cold blast of winter air that shot through.

She put one foot out of the window and found her footing before pushing the rest of body through.

She climbed down the criss-crossed vine holder on the side of her house with ease. She had memorized the foot holds long ago.

Tucking her scarf closer to her neck, she hiked down her dark street with only the soft hue of the dull yellow street lights to guide her way. But just like the foot holds, she had memorized the path to the park long ago.

She turned left and grinned when she saw he was already there swinging slightly with a bag and two drinks in his lap.

"Hey." She said softly as she hunkered down on the swing next to him, the chains jingling slightly.

"Hi! I brought the usual. One disgusting strawberry shake for you-" he answered handing over the goods, "and a small fries. One chocolate shake for me and a large cheeseburger!" He grinned at himself proud in his ability to conjure up food for her.

Silently, he unwrapped his cheeseburger while she watched and took a huge bite. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before breaking the silence and looking in her eyes.

"So, you okay?" He asked, with concern plain on his face, with a scrunched brow.

She kicked the dirt, not meeting his penetrating gaze.

"I will be….I don't want to talk about it." She mumbled.

She was content enough right now in the presence of her best friend, eating burgers and fries at 2 in the morning in an abandoned park.

They had done this countless of times, mostly called upon on Lucy's end, after a rough day and mostly due to her father. It was their thing to comfort one another.

"Okay, well I'm here whenever you need me." He said simply before stuffing his face with his burger.

Lucy smiled gently into the night.

"I know."

* * *

It's ten minutes to midnight and Natsu can't find Lucy. He's been wandering around Gray's house aimlessly looking for her among all the party goers and the very prominent smell of alcohol.

He keeps wandering driven in his mission as he avoids any effort of getting roped into small talk by people.

It's five minutes to midnight when he finds her. She is absolutely stunning in a casual emerald green dress with her hair tied up in intricate braids.

He smiles brightly as he makes his way over, only for it to fall when he realizes she's laughing quite enthusiastically at some other, very attractive, guy.

He stops and looks away trying in vain to ignore the stabbing feeling in his heart when she leans into the guy and pushes him playfully.

He hears her laugh again and turns to leave, the stabbing too painful to just casually push aside, pushing past several drunk party-goers. He exits the house, cursing at the cold, and sits on the bench outside in Gray's backyard. The backyard isn't much to look at with weeds littering the yard and a broken play set in the corner. He looks up at the night sky that Lucy loves so much, outlining the constellations she taught him when they were in high school.

He pulls his scarf closer to him to fend off the brisk breeze. It's not snowing but there is day old snow melting at the edges of the fence surrounding the yard.

He's contemplating his future and Lucy and his feelings when it's two minute to midnight and his ears pick up the sound of the backdoor opening followed by the creaks of the floor board.

"Natsu there you are! I've been looking for you all night!"

He whips his head around, not quite believing it when Lucy walks forward and plops herself down next to him on the bench.

He stares at her for a moment before looking away, unable to meet her gaze.

"Oh sorry, you were talking to someone and I didn't want to interrupt." He mumbles, blushing at his stupidity and hoping its too dark for Lucy to see his blush.

"Oh yeah that guy roped me into a conversation and I kept trying to end it but he just did not get the picture." She answers easily. She looks up at the night stare and a small smile grows in her face.

He smiles at her, matching her gentle one which causes hers to grow.

Natsu hates to admit it but he feels very relieved to hear that. He also can't help but feel giddy that out of everyone she knows she just so happened to look for him right when it is about to be midnight.

"Remember when I taught you all the constellations?" She quietly with an emotion hiding behind her voice that he can't quite place.

Before he can answer, he jumps when he hears the partiers start yelling the countdown.

He glances at Lucy who suddenly seems very flustered, her cheeks tinting pink as she looks back at him shyly but with a glint in her eye that gives Natsu a tiny bit courage.

This is his chance, he thinks as his heart stutters because suddenly it hits him how stunning Lucy is, glowing under the multi-colored Christmas lights, with her nose pink from the cold.

Mustering up some courage he looks into her eyes, watching as she senses the gravity of his gaze.

The cheers in the house get louder and he can distinctly hear the countdown.

"10, 9, 8!"

He purposefully brings his hand and caresses her cheek, smiling brightly as the twinkle in her eyes grows.

"7,6,5!"

His heart swells with excitement because she isn't backing away or yelling at him. She's looking at him like she want this as much as he does.

"4,3,2!"

And that scares and excites him and -oh god his hand is shaking slightly-

"1! HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

-and he ignores it and surges forward and kisses her, capturing her lips with his.

His brain fizzles out but he registers the fact that her hands are tangling themselves in his hair and that she's kissing him _back_.

After what simultaneously feels like seconds and hours, he is looking at her stupidly, in complete awe over the fact he finally got to kiss his best friend.

When it finally registers in his head that he did in fact just kiss her and who now she is looking at him a little worried, he smiles so big that his cheeks hurt but he doesn't care.

He jumps up, standing, and lifts her in the air twirling her around. Her laughter fills the cold January air, warming him to his very core.

He sets her down a moment later and presses his forehead to hers and whisper very softly.

"Happy New Year, Lucy."

* * *

She was never going to come out from under her blanket. She was so stupid all the time. How Natsu put up with her she didn't know.

Of course he wasn't putting up with her at the moment was he?

She hadn't heard from him in nearly two weeks, ever since the stupid fight. Well it wasn't stupid, especially to Natsu but he knew what her dad was like! She didn't need her father's approval or to prove anything to him and to go through the effort, both mentally and physically, to introduce Natsu as her boyfriend to him would be a wasted, heart breaking event.

Her father wouldn't approve of a poor orphan with the goal of becoming a firefighter. He would mock Natsu and Lucy was simply trying to prevent Natsu from getting hurt.

But of course the opposite happened and he was hurt because she didn't want to introduce him.

She heard a knock on the door to the apartment and listened as Levy answered and mumbled some reply.

She heard soft footsteps head to her door and wiggled deeper into her blanket into a ball.

She heard the soft knock on her door and the door creak open and then a his voice calling her.

She heard him enter her room and the sigh that escaped him when he must have seen the big lump on her bed.

"Lucy, can you please come out. We need to talk."

Her heart clenched. She had missed him so much. After being a constant in her life for 12 years, she had missed him an embarrassingly amount for only being without him for two weeks.

When had she gotten so dependent on his annoying chattering and goofy smiles?

She felt the bed shift under his weight as he sat down. A lump seared itself in her throat and her eyes burned with tears.

God she missed him.

"Luce, I'm sorry."

What? No it was her fault, everything was always her fault in their relationship. He had done nothing wrong, it was her who did most of the yelling and it was her fault for denying his request.

"I know your dad…how he is and yet I kept pushing you, so I'm sorry. I didn't mean to explode at you or have this get so far. It's just…" He took a deep shaky breath. "You didn't want to tell our friends about us when we first started dating and that hurt. And all that old pain was brought back up when you kept refusing to tell your dad about us. I just can't help but feel like your embarrassed of me. I know we joke about it but …. I thought you were ashamed that I'm-"

"NO!" Lucy shot up, unable to bear anymore of his speech.

She tried to untangle herself but ended up getting stuck and cursing loudly before finally her head popped out of the blankets to stare at Natsu's red-rimmed eyes.

"Natsu no! I'm not embarrassed or ashamed of you. I'm so sorry Natsu." She looked away from him and felt her tears finally spill over over cheeks.

"I never meant- you are the best thing to ever happen to me. I could barely function these last two weeks without you. You are literally the sweetest, most caring person and I'm just terrible. I'm so sorry." She sobbed into the pillow she was squeezing like a lifeline.

"Lucy please don't cry! You're not terrible. I was just overreacting and-"

"No you weren't! I hurt you and I'm so sorry!" She buried her face in her pillow.

She looked back up and glanced at her desk only to see two drinks, a brown paper bag, and a couple of movies stacked on each other.

Following her gaze, Natsu rubbed the back his neck. "Oh yeah, I brought you a strawberry shake and a small fries and the Jurassic park movies cause those are the only ones you like cause I thought we could- I don't know- kind of just relax as best friends first before we get into the heavy stuff."

But then she was sobbing again and reburied her face in her pillow.

"You too good for me." She mumbled through her pillow. "I'm such a mess and-and you are always picking up my pieces. I'm so sorry."

The bed shifted again and then she was in Natsu's arms, his head laying on top of hers.

"How bout we finish talking about this after a nap? The shakes and fries and movies can wait. I think we both deserve to sleep after the last two weeks."

She nodded mutely, her sadness already dragging her into the throngs of sleep. He pulled her down and shifted her so she was curled protectively in his arms.

She would apologize her heart out to him when she could so without blubbering. And first thing tomorrow she was going to buy two train tickets to her hometown so she can properly introduce her boyfriend to her father.

 **Hello Lovely Followers! Just wanted you to know that their will be 5 parts to this story instead of the three I mentioned on Tumblr and they will posted every Monday! Thanks so much for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

Part 3

-He was seriously the most annoying person she had ever met. All week he had a song he hummed under his breath either walking her to class or tapping out on the desk when they studied.

It was grating on her last nerve.

It took two weeks before she couldn't handle it anymore and exploded at him.

He was lounging on her bed while she read a book at her desk. Seriously, what was the point of having his own dorm when he spent all his time in her room bugging her at all hours of the day?

She didn't notice when he started humming at first but then he hit the all too familiar chorus.

Then he started quietly singing but of course- _of course-_ he only knew three lines to the stupid song.

With every repetition she would flinch, being physically repelled by the song. Somehow she lasted until the hundredth repetition before she snapped.

"Shut up! _Shut up_! SHUT UP!" She stood, toppling her chair over, and glared at him, who only stared at her with wide innocent eyes.

"For the past three weeks all I've heard from you is that stupid song and you DON'T EVEN KNOW THE LYRICS!?"

He paused seemingly unsure as to how to respond to her random outburst. "Um …. no?" he answered dumbly.

"Get out!" She yelled, grabbing him by the arm and yanking him up as he yelped.

She pushed him out the door before spinning on her heel and shutting it.

She relished the quiet while Natsu stared dumbly at her door, scratching his head in confusion.

"What the hell?" he mumbled before shrugging and turning around walking to his dorm, all while whistling the familiar tune.

Lucy had a reprieve from the dreaded song for a blessed five weeks.

They had just finished their last finals of the quarter and they decided to take a nice drive along the beach.

It was a perfect day.

Sunlight beamed down on them through the opened windows as the salt filled air tangled their sun kissed hair. Lucy had her beat up sneakers on the dashboard while Natsu had one hand on the steering wheel, the other fiddling with the radio.

It was perfect until-

"Naw, Naw, honey I'm good. I could have another but probably should not-"

"No." Lucy whispered but it was too late.

"-I GOT SOMEBODY AT HOME AND IF I STAY I MIGHT NOT LEAVE ALONE!" Natsu half yelled, half sang.

"Just kill me now." She groaned, trying to drown out the music by covering her ears.

Instead of acknowledging her pain, he ignored her, twisted the volume button higher, and continued singing his beloved song.

"AND OOOHHHH I'M SURE YA , I'M SURE YA WILL MAKE SOMEBODY'S NIGHT!" He was dancing in his seat at this point, before he turned to her and looked at her pointedly.

"No! No way in hell!" She said fiercely but that ferocity died a little when he continued with a bright smile on his face.

"BUTTT OHHHHHH YOU'RE SURE AS HELL NOT MINE!" He continued before he paused again.

She glared at him with a mischievous little smile, took a deep breath and belted- "NAW NAW HONEY I'M GOOD I COULD HAVE ANOTHER BUT I PROBABLY SHOULD NOT!"

He exploded in laughter before singing along with her.

When the last note died a minute later, they were laughing so hard tears were flowing down their cheeks.

"That wasn't so bad was it?" He asked mischievously.

"Shut up." She punched his arm playfully as they continued their drive through the sunlight.

* * *

-It was pouring. It had been storming for several days now in Magnolia, thick black clouds overlaying the once blue sky. Thankfully, it was only raining today and not thundering as it had been but the air stilled hummed with pent up energy.

Fat raindrops were clacking against Natsu's black umbrella, his feet squishing the sopping grass.

He shifted his weight, uncomfortable in a suit and tie and unsure of when it was appropriate to approach Lucy. He wanted to give her time but it was freezing and the last thing she needed right now was a cold.

Hesitantly, he walked forward, the grass scrunching under his feet, to where Lucy knelt in front of a freshly filled grave.

Her hair was clinging to her face as she stared blankly at the ground.

He knelt beside her and placed on a hand on her shoulder, the other hand holding the umbrella over them.

Before he could say anything she spoke.

"I hated him."

Natsu's head whipped over to her, but her eyes never strayed from the dirt melting into the earth in the downpour.

"For years I hated him because- he just- he ignored me. I felt like I was nothing to him, for years, Natsu." She shook her head, her brows scrunched in anger, pain, confusion, Natsu didn't know for sure.

"Then-." Her voice wavered, losing the terse tone from the moments before.

"Then he tried. He tried to be apart of my life, especially when we started college and I was the one away from the empty rooms of our house. He started calling me, sending me packages, but it was too late. It was my turn to ignore him."

Natsu's heart squeezed in pain because he could see where her line of thinking was going.

"I became the one ignoring _him._ I-I was the one who sent back his packages and never answered the phone and-"

She looked at him then with tears gleaming and a raw resounding pain in her eyes.

"I treated him the way he treated me. He- he probably hated me as much as I hated him. He died hating me." She broke, squeezing her arms around herself and started sobbing, loud uncontrollable sobs from a place deep in her heart where all this unbidden emotions had been stored for the better part of two decades.

He instantly wrapped her up in her arms, awkwardly still holding the umbrella. He held her close for a few moments before forcing her to look at him.

"Lucy, Lucy look at me." She fought him for only a moment before meeting his gaze.

"Lucy, did you love your father?"

"Natsu," She sobbed turning her head away but Natsu grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him.

"Lucy."

Her eyes were trained away, squeezed shut.

"I did. I loved him even though he gave me no reason too and then when he did- when he did I didn't give him a chance. How could I be so heartless?"

She curled in on herself again, moaning in pain from the deep ache in chest.

Natsu lifted her up by the shoulders, balancing the umbrella in his hands, and shook her gently. "Lucy, Lucy hey."

Even though she didn't look at him she tilted her head toward him.

"You are not heartless. Your father hurt you and you had given him a million chances but you still loved him. Any lesser person would have cut ties completely after they moved out but you didn't. So what if you returned some packages or didn't answer calls. You still went home for most Thanksgivings and Christmases. Still took the time to introduce your idiot boyfriend to him even though I had met him before."

He lifted her face gently to look into her eyes. There was a hesitance in them, wanting, longing, to believe his words but she was still clutching onto her misery.

"You kept him involved in the major parts of your life. And before he died I went to go talk to him."

She responded to that, startling, and looked at him confusingly.

"Why?"

Natsu rubbed the back of his neck. "I had to ask him something about my future, about my job- business stuff- I'll tell you later." He answered hurriedly because that conversation was for another day, a day of joy not a day of pain.

"Anyway," he continued, reaching to intwine their hands slowly. "-while I there he told me how proud of you he was, how much he regretted every missed recital and birthday. He was so hurt about what he'd done to you. But he loves you, Lucy, so so much." He said squeezing her hand.

"He got lost and he said he didn't blame you for hating him…. but he was so glad you kept him in your life. Told me that you clearly had your mother's heart."

Lucy's tears ran down her face as she suddenly hugged him, causing him to fumble with the umbrella, burying and sobbing into his chest. He brushed her hair with his hand and held her.

"Thank you," She murmured.

The rain was still pouring when they left the graveyard an hour later, but Natsu knew the rain would pass one day. Until that day he would gladly hold an umbrella over Lucy's head and protect her from the rain.

* * *

-It was halfway through the first semester of seventh grade. The students at Fiore Middle School had already attended 34 days of school. For Lucy however, today was her first day. This was going to be her third school in two years. Her father assured her that this was going to be their last move but Lucy knew better to believe him, her father had given her too many empty promises in the past.

Her maid dropped her off at the school and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Lucy stared up at the looming school towering over her, jumping when the bell went off and other kids exploded from the classrooms.

She wandered the halls, trying to and failing at, getting bumped into by other passing students.

The school was so large and with all the people around her, pushing and shoving, Lucy started to feel dizzy. The other kids faces were blending together and every hallway she went down looking for room 211 was the same dull gray.

Suddenly another shrill of the bell went off and a moment later she found herself in completely empty halls.

Her breathing slowed down, now that the chaos had passed, but she was still hopelessly lost.

She decided to just wander and hope she found the classroom at the end of class so she didn't have to deal with the stares of the other kids.

She started to turn down another hallway when she heard a strange rolling sound coming from in front of her.

Before she could stop her momentum, she turned and was smacked face first into something solid and fell backward, scraping her elbow.

"Ow." she mumbled, rubbing her head.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! Oh my gosh I didn't mean too! No no no don't cry!" A voice said in front of her, but he was blurry.

Her eyes had filled with tears because this was the icing on the already horrible day.

Embarrassed and angry at her eyes for betraying her and angry at the boy in front of her for noticing and knocking her down in the first place, she wiped her eyes furiously with her arm.

She blinked and was able to see him for the first and frowned at his wild pink hair.

"I'm really sorry! Here!" Without giving her anytime to respond and grabbed her by the elbow and yanked her up.

With a yelp she grabbed her elbow.

He jumped back, startled. "Ah I injured you!"

He whipped his backpack around and dug through it before pulling out a small box.

He lifted his head and ripped open what Lucy could now see as band aids.

"Can I?" He asked as he reached his hand out to her.

Hesitantly she placed her arm in his hand.

"Do you carry around band aids because you crash into people often?" She said with malice but he seemed unaffected.

Instead he chuckled obliviously. "Yeah actually I'm kind of known for it here."

He gently turned it to see her scraped up elbow. He winced in sympathy.

"Does it hurt?" he asked.

"No it's fine. I was just having a bad day so this was just the icing on th - are those dinosaur band aids?"

He looked up her, narrowing his eyes slightly at her. "Yeah, dinosaurs are cool."

She scrunched her face in disgust. "Dinosaurs are boring." She said with finality.

"Dinosaurs- dinosaurs are boring?!" He stuttered.

Lucy shrugged. "Yeah, I don't see the big deal about them. They're dead and the only reason people think they're cool is cause they're big."

"You what?! How-no! What about Jurassic park? Or Land Before Time?" He spluttered.

"I haven't seen Jurassic Park. And Land Before Time was just boring. That main one annoyed me so much."

The boy grabbed at his heart in shock. "Little Foot? You hate Little Foot!?"

Lucy shrugged again.

"You monster." He whispered.

Lucy couldn't help giggling at his flabbergasted face.

"I pity you." He said releasing her arm. "I vow that I will change your mind about dinosaurs. We are going to marathon all the dinosaur movies in existence starting with Jurassic Park while eating dinosaur chicken nuggets!"

She yelped when he slung his arm around her shoulder leading down her the hallway.

He never did manage to convince her dinosaurs were cool but for the first time in a long time Lucy Heartfilia had a friend.


	4. Chapter 4

Part 4

-Gray was trying to focus, he really was. He tapped a pencil furiously on the desk as he tried to make his eyes read the words in front of him but it was pointless. He was fuming.

He didn't even know why this was bugging him so much. It was none of his business.

But this has been going on for _years_.

Yet another sigh escaped his pink-haired friend and Gray's pencil snapped in half.

That seemed to draw his friends attention as he looked down at the broken pencil in his friend's hand.

"Dude?" he asked.

In answer, Gray chucked the pencil halves at Natsu making him yelp and duck.

He looked back up at him angrily.

"Dude what the hell?"

"Just ask her out already! Seriously if you spent half the time you spend creepily watching Lucy as you could spend building up your courage and growing some actual balls maybe she would be your girlfriend already!" He whispered yelled trying to keep his voice low but the librarian still shushed them.

Natsu worriedly glanced to where Lucy sat a few desks away with her friend Levy to see if they noticed Gray's outburst but the were still hunched over their respective books reading.

He whipped his head back around and glared at Gray.

"Shut up! Its not as easy as it seems and we have our friendship to worry about and-"

Gray waved his hand, dismissively. "Blah blah blah. All I hear are excuses. It's been seven years Natsu! I know all your excuses!"

Natsu huffed and slid dejectedly further into his seat.

He shuffled and wiggled in his chair, clearly uncomfortable.

Gray watched as he battled with something before he spoke again a few moment later.

Natsu glanced at Lucy with what Gray recognized with shock, as devotion in his eyes. This guy was further in then Gray had realized.

Gray had always known that Natsu liked his blonde best friend, but the way Natsu was looking at her right now, with a love so revealing and true, it caught Gray off guard.

Natsu stared at the table with a look of surrender. "Lucy she would never- I mean sure she loves me but not in that way. Never in that way. I'm not anything like the guys she likes. I'm loud and obnoxious and annoying."

He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "I'll never be what she wants. I'm just a stupid boy with an unrealistic dream. And I would rather keep my best friend and have her be happy with someone else then lose her completely."

He crossed his arms and wouldn't meet Gray's penetrating stare.

After the shock that confident cocky Natsu was this insecure and this oblivious about Lucy wore off, he ran his hand through his hair.

He had to tread carefully because he didn't realize how touchy Natsu was and he didn't want to break the guy completely.

Gray took a deep breath. "Okay first of all, you are very oblivious if you haven't seen all the lovey-dovey stares Lucy gives you or any of the million other clues she gives you that makes it painfully obvious she loves you."

Natsu's head shot up and looked at him quizzically.

"And second of all." Gray continued. "I have the perfect plan to finally see if she reciprocates her feelings for you."

Natsu raised one eyebrow curiously.

An hour later Gray left the library, Lucy had come up to ask Natsu for chemistry help so he stayed, the idiot.

Gray pulled the scarf his girlfriend made for him closer in a vain effort to protect himself from the biting cold wind that had hit him while he exited the library doors.

He dug through his book bag and pulled out his cellphone and dialed his adopted mother's number.

"Hey Ur, I was wondering if I could use the house and throw a New Year's Party?"

* * *

The booming music was going to make Natsu deaf. It was deafening but the rest of the people in the club seemed to enjoy it. His girlfriend especially.

She stood several feet away from him and Gray at the bar dancing with Levy and several other friends.

She was clearly drunk from her clunky, uncoordinated dancing and whooping, but there was a smile on her lips that had been there all night.

He continued to watch her until Gray bumped his shoulder, drawing his attention away from his gorgeous girlfriend and to the smirky bastard.

"Dude, I thought after you got together with her you would stop acting like a pathetic love sick puppy."

Natsu opened his mouth to retort about how there was nothing wrong with being hopelessly in love along with some other choice words about Gray's personality when a loud yell erupted from his girlfriend.

She ran up to him and grabbed his hand dragging him onto the dance floor.

"It's our song!" She yelled over the music.

He cocked his head for moment to figure out the tune before he burst out laughing.

Lucy was already jumping around in front of him yelling the remixed song at the top of her lungs.

"CAUSE NAW NAW HONEY I'M GOOD I COULD HAVE ANOTHER BUT I PROBABLY SHOULD NOT-"

He jumped and yelled along with her in the sweaty club amongst the crowd but his thoughts were consumed with her sun kissed skin and laughter and the sea salt air from that day when she finally caved and embraced the weird song.

Eventually their song ended and Natsu went to go get his girlfriend a much needed glass of water.

When he went back to retrieve his girlfriend however she was standing over some guy who was laying on the ground in front of her, groaning, holding his nether regions in obvious pain.

He rushed forward.

"-AND DON'T YOU EVER TOUCH A GIRL LIKE THAT WITHOUT HER CONSENT YOU PERVERTED PIG- -NATSU!" She sang his name with joy, which came out of nowhere considering her angered tone not moments before.

"What happened?" He gaped, while a crowd started to surround them.

She turned to glare at the moaning man on the floor. "THIS DISGUSTING BASTARD GRABBED AT MY BOOBS AND ASS AND NOW HE'S ON THE FLOOR CAUSE I KICKED HIS NUTS!"

As if saying what happened out loud made her relive it, she turned back to the man who was struggling to stand.

"YEAH HOW DO YOU LIKE IT WHEN I TOUCH YOU INAPPROPRIATELY!" She yelled causing the man to flinch away from her.

Natsu scanned the club and saw the bouncer heading their way.

Lucy made a move to kick the guys balls again but he grabbed her hand and pulled her away.

"HEY I WASN'T DONE WITH HIM YET!" She yelled at him, still glaring where the man was.

He ran up the bar, dragging her behind him, where Gray and the rest of their friends sat with her purse.

He snatched it from the table ignoring the "heys" and "what's going on" from the collective group.

"Bouncer's after Lucy, gotta run!" He saluted the group before hoisting up Lucy piggy back style and running out of the club.

The cool air hit them as Natsu ran down the block.

Lucy's laughter tickled his ear, not a moment later, and invaded his mind and soon he was laughing right along side her.

He set her down when he deemed them far enough away. Lucy swayed on her feet but neither of them could stop the giggles and snorts of laughter.

Through his tears Natsu managed to speak. "I can't- I can't believe you- Lucy- was the one who got us kicked out!"

That only caused Lucy's boisterous laughter to melt into gasps of silent laughter, unable to handle the hilarity of the situation.

She swayed again dropping her rather large purse.

Natsu's eyes widen as toilet paper rolled out onto the street from her purse.

"Is that-? Why do you have toilet paper in your purse?"

Lucy could barely breathe from all her laughter but managed to sober up a little.

"Because our- our cleaning lady at the dorms-" she said between giggles, "-never gives us toilet paper and the club had sooo manyyy rolls Natsu, like soooo many, they wouldn't miss them so I took 'em." She twirled around swishing her skirt.

"So let- let me get this straight." He said, with a giant grin on his face. " My straight-laced girlfriend, got into a fight, got us kicked out of a club, and stole from a business."

Lucy nodded proudly her grin matching his. "You betcha I did, it's all your fault. You're such a bad influence Natsu."

Natsu bent over laughing. "Oh my God, I love you so much, you weirdo- seriously did you see that guys face-"

"I love you too."

Natsu blinked and looked up. Lucy had a very serious look on her face but there was a fire behind her eyes that made Natsu's heart melt and jolt and stutter all at once.

She stepped forward as Natsu straightened. A large sincere smile graced her face as she caressed his cheek.

"I love you Natsu Dragneel, bad influence and all." She giggled and blushed with sparkling eyes and wrapped her arms around his waist.

Natsu stood rigid in shock. This was their first ever "I love you" and it happened after she kicked a guy in the groin and robbed a dance club's toilet paper stash.

This had to be the strangest night of his life and she might not even remember saying this to him tomorrow, but she loves him in this moment and he feels over the moon and full of love for this weird girl in his arms.

He wrapped his arms around her and chuckled when she sighed at his touch, still obviously drunk.

"I love you, Lucy Heartfilia."

She stood on her tippy toes and kissed his jaw line and before snuggling into his chest, sleepily.

"Let's get you home."

* * *

-Natsu stared up at the looming house. It was grand but the once new white paint was starting to chip away exposing the brown wood underneath, and the once pristine green lawn had withered down into weeds and dirt.

It was sad, this was Lucy's childhood home. He remembers seeing her scaling down the vines to meet him at the playground down the road and smelling her roses that she grew when he walked her home from school.

So much time had passed and yet they were still together, staying strong against the passage and destruction of time.

He took a deep breath before crossing through the picket fence, wincing at the sharp squeak.

The porch steps creaked under his weight, as his fingers instinctively found the door bell.

He rang it before his nerves could get the better of him and stood there shuffling his feet waiting.

After several minutes and some constant ringing and knocking from Natsu, the door finally opened.

An elderly man that Natsu instantly recognized as Lucy's father answered.

"Whatever you're selling I am not inter- Natsu?" The man looked so startled it shocked Natsu into submission and he sheepishly waved.

"Hello sir- Er Mr. Heartfilia. I was hoping to talk to you if you're free?" He cursed himself mentally because he had a plan and that plan involved being strong and willful not sheepish and weak.

But to his surprise the man opened the door wider. "Of course, of course come in."

Natsu thanked him and entered, old memories of the house hitting him wherever his eyes landed.

He remembered the epic pillow wars they would rage when her father was away on business and the delicious cookies they would bake after midterms and finals.

He was so caught up in memories he jumped when her father placed a hand on her shoulder and steered him to his study.

Natsu had never been in his study before, it was strictly off limits when they were younger, and he had come up with quite a few theories about what was behind these doors.

Government conspiracies and fantastically spy stories about her father had all been reasons why Lucy wasn't allowed inside. But the room looked like a normal study, more grand than most, but with the same bookshelves and desk pieces that would be found in any office, just more dusty.

Natsu took a seat in front of the man's desk while her father lounged in his.

He didn't look like the stern business man of the past, instead his the once hard lines of face was sagged and his eyes lacked the harshness that they had once possessed.

He looked weighed down by time, just like the dilapidated old house.

The man cleared his throat and broke Natsu's thoughts.

"How is my daughter? Is she well?" He asked, his tone worried and anxious.

Natsu nodded. "She's good, great actually um- she's actually why I'm here though."

The man nodded disjointedly. "Good, good. She's a strong one, always have been even when she was child and she shouldn't have had to be. I'm so proud of her, you know? Getting out of this house and making a life for herself, even though- because of-." Her father stopped and Natsu noticed the tears prickling his eyes.

Natsu himself was in shock because it had only been two and half years since he last saw the man and had been properly introduced as Lucy's boyfriend to him, but in that amount of time the man had become almost unrecognizable.

The man before had been stern and disapproving of him but he had thawed to him throughout the weekend they spent together and had pulled him aside right before they left to begrudgingly approve of Natsu for his daughter.

That moment was the only time Natsu saw any sort of emotion beside anger from the man, so to see him now like this, practically falling apart, was hard to swallow.

Her father shook his head. "I am deeply sorry for how I treated you that weekend." He said, reading Natsu's mind. "I was rude but I saw the way my daughter lit up around you and I saw how you looked at her, like she was the world."

He trailed off before looking him in the eye. "I am so glad you have been able to fill my Lucy's life with joy and laughter. You were able to give her what I never could since her mother died and for that I will never be able to thank you enough."

Natsu sat frozen. This wasn't how he thought this day would go. He thought he would have to just declare his intentions not that he was going to be praised by Lucy's estranged father.

Natsu shuffled in his seat. "I love her very much. I think I always have. And that's why- that's why I'm here."

He twisted his hands together because it was now or never and once he said it out loud this was going to be real.

He looked Lucy's father in the eye, and he hoped his eyes conveyed his conviction because he has never wanted or needed anything as badly as for Lucy's approval. No matter what her father said he would still ask, still would carry out his intentions, but he wanted to do this right and kind of respect her father by asking/telling him first.

"I'm going to ask Lucy to marry me. I don't care if you approve or not because that's up to Lucy but I wanted to tell you. I don't have my father anymore and I know you and Lucy's relationship is strained, but you are her family and I want you to be apart of our future."

Her father stood ominously which caused Natsu to as well.

He walked over to him, Natsu watching him warily, and the next thing he knew the man had his arms wrapped around him, hugging him.

Natsu blinked before hesitatingly returning it.

"Of course, I would love- Welcome to the family, son."

Natsu froze at his wording. _Son._

He knew Lucy's relationship with her dad and knew how complicated and tangled and messy it was but all he had wanted his whole life after growing up as orphan all alone, was a family. And it seemed like that's all Lucy's father wanted right now as well.

So Natsu hugged him, and couldn't stop the thoughts of Lucy's father as a grandpa, holding and playing and spoiling his and Lucy's children, running through his head.


End file.
